Moira, County Antrim

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Moira is a village in County Down/Armagh in Northern Ireland. Its roots date back thousands of years to the ancient ring forts in the village. The towns name is Irish and translates as "Plain of the Ring Forts".

[edit] History

In 637 AD, the High King of Ulster and High King of Ireland fought the Battle of Moira here. Bodies were excavated in the 19th century when a railway was laid.

The village was once home to Sir Arthur Rawdon. The Rawdon family were very influential in the Moira area in the Early Modern Period and had houses in many parts of Ulster including a "castle" in Lisburn. Rawdon place, in Moira, was home to Sir Arthur and the Demesne in which it was built also contained the first botanical gardens in Europe. Rawdon place burned down in the 19th century but its remains can still be seen in the Demesne today.

[edit] Modern day

Moira is also home to the oldest railway station in Ireland. The station is still in use today, linking the village to all of Ireland.

In recent years Moira has become larger and new houses are springing up. This however has led to severe traffic problems in the area.

Moira is in the Lagan Valley constituency, and its Member of Parliament is Jeffery Donaldson of the Democratic Unionist Party.